1 Hello, I am Sian Barlow.
Hello, I am Sian Barlow.
Hello, I am Sian Barlow. I’m a self-motivated and dedicated perfectionist who has the eye for detail. I am a person who strongly believes that communication is key in the fashion world and will take that with me wherever I go. I have been studying (BA Hons) Fashion Communication for 3 years and have been learning new skills every step of the way. During this time, I have been faced with and have overcome many challenges with a positive attitude. I am eager to learn and I have a genuine interest in social media marketing and promoting a business in an effective way.
Sian Barlow - Portfolio
About me.
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2
Who are ‘Pause’? Pause is a ‘lifestyle’ publication in support of Mind Charity for those who need to escape from social media and re -connect with reality again especially with this digital era continuously growing. The inspiration behind this came from my own experience with being addicted to social media as well as from The 1975 and the book ‘Why Social Media is Ruining your Life’ by Katherine Omerod. Social media addiction is real, and it’s become completely normal. However, people aren’t fully aware that it’s causing mental health problems. Pause publication is about helping the audience to cope with this developing technological world by encouraging the 18-24 year olds to utilise their social media usage. The central theme of Pause is spreading awareness in a friendly, non-polarising way; through interviews, photoshoots and articles collaboratively encouraged from our audience from all backgrounds. This is cohesively bringing people together, allowing the audience to feel at ease to share their stories without a fear of judgement. Screen your screens.
‘Pause’ is a project created for my third year Final Major Project. With this, Pause is a brand in support of Mind Charity and there for those that need that time away from their mobile phones. I have taken certain elements from my Final Major Project and condensed it to show my journey.
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Introduction.
“We check our phones, on average every 12 minutes.”
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Concept board.
Concept research. Why is ‘Pause’ so relevant? Over the last few years, the use of social media has become an increasingly popular leisure activity (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011 cited in Andreassan, Pallesen, Griffiths 2016), whether that’s for entertainment or personal use. Boyd & Ellison (2007, cited in Woods & Scott, 2016) stated that this has become a normal modern phenomenon and that concerns have been raised regarding the potential addictive use of social media. Largely this growth has resulted from a huge increase in opportunity to express yourself, in terms of visual media being shared worldwide. In particular, the use of Instagram has meant that looks and appearance have become more prominent in portraying our identities due to the increased use of images online. Platforms like this are encouraging others to fixate their appearance and physical identity around the way others dress and what other people do in order to feel accepted.
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The rise of social media has occurred so quickly that little time has been allowed to properly examine the changes it has brought to our society, whether that’s positively or negatively. People have been absorbed into the utopia of the online world that almost no concern has been taken over the ways in which it has changed our mental health for the worse. Social media addiction has become a big problem in today’s society and is one that has been drastically overlooked. This kind of addiction can have severe effects on mental health over long periods of time, so users need to be made aware of this as they use the software. The solution is not to boycott all technology, as social media has brought so many positives along with it, but the harm is being done due to individuals mistaking social media for something that it’s not.
Concept research. What is the result of Social Media Addiction? “Social media is changing the landscape and nearly everyone is going through an identity crisis.” (Katherine Ormerod, pg 37). “We worry about looking ‘good on paper’ as we want to look good on screen too. we emphasize our abilities, downplay anything which could cast aspersions on our character, and try at all costs to project and image of success.” (Katherine Ormerod, pg 38)
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“Instagram and Snapchat have been found to be the most damaging platforms among 14-25 year olds, in terms of their impact on health and well being issues such as anxiety, depression, and self-identity, and this is said to be due to their image focus.” (Katherine Ormerod, pg 41)
“I feel like I need to post.” - anon. “It’s not direct pressure on Instagram, it’s subtle pressure.” - anon. “I purposely unfollowed everyone that’s aligned with that ‘fake’ type of content (like Kim Kardashian) on Instagram for my own self care andwell being.” - anon.
depression. anxiety. worry. mental health. sleep deprivation. lack of self love. self esteem. human connection. memory loss. poor attention span. disconnected. distracted world. loneliess.
Aesthetic.
Tactile. Physical. Connected. Sense of touch .
The transition from printout media to digital media has occurred rapidly over the past decade, leading many to hypothesise over what the future format will be. The impact this could have on social media use is significant, as a complete takeover of digital media would add to the reliance of individuals to their technological devices for news/interests etc. This could have negative impacts on mental health as a result, as it would be much harder to encourage people to take a break from their technology to read a magazine or book, and increase usage time as there would be no alternative. Bonner (2015) touches on this topic with findings of her research showing that “despite participants admitting that ‘everything is going digital’, they still overwhelmingly prefer print magazines, but will consume digital content when it infiltrates their daily lives” for a sample of Millennials (aged 18-25).
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Feel. Tactile. Sensory.
Screen your screens.
Why is being in support of ‘Mind’ so relevant? This publication is in support of
“[Mind] provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. [They] campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding. [Mind] won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect” (ibid). Their mission is therefore extremely similar to that of Pause, primarily to promote understanding of mental health and raise awareness of the key causes in today’s society. Mind have a large amount of experience in helping those with mental health, as they have been active since formation in 1946 (ibid) and have observed World Mental Health Day since it was it was created in 1992 (ibid), something that would benefit Pause to a big degree.
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Supports 513,000 people.
Online health information acessed 10 million times in 2018.
3 in every school class of 30 pupils in the UK have mental health problems. Only 4% visit their GP for support.
ISSUE 1 Spring/Summer 2019
Mind Charity...
ISSUE 1 Spring/Summer 2019
Who are ‘Pause’s consumer?
Acorn classification: Student life / Starting out (Acorn, 2019) Oc c u p a t i o n : Creative student / Bloggers / Assistant stylist B r a n d s : / Topshop / Zara / Stradivarius / Asos / Bershka / Pull & bear / TK Maxx. They are likely to order online as it’s more convenient but if they do go out, they will do short but frequent shopping trips spending the minimum. Residential location: Suburban area (Acorn, 2019) L i v i n g s t a t u s : Living with parents /Student housing V a l u e s & N e e d s : They are always looking for ways to ‘reduce anxiety’ and increase their ‘wellness’ because their life is busy. (Harvard Business Review, 2016) Diffusion of Innovation M o d e l S t a t u s : Early adopter / Early majority. Pause’s core consumer share an attitude to life and desire to escape when things get too much.
Starting out.
L i f e s t y l e : She leads a busy life, balancing either university/ blogging/job with social activities with friends and family - occasional cocktails/nights out is her way of socialising. The way to make her relax and de-stress from her busy schedule is by doing some yoga or taking time out at the gym. These are both things she takes time to fit in, as long with a healthy eating regime, however, a cheeky takeaway will not make her feel guilty. She is a clean person and likes to live organised otherwise it makes her stress. T e c h n o l o g y : She is tech savvy and is sure to keep up to date with technology. She is an apple devotee and owns an iPhone and/or a MacBook. The ease and design of the product is what draws her to it. She doesn’t like complication when her life is so busy. S o c i a l m e d i a : Each of her social accounts is used differently, her Facebook is for personal uses only; WhatsApp and Messenger are the preferred platforms to stay in touch; Instagram is their personal photo diary; Snapchat is spur of the moment posting of activities; Twitters for posting anything that comes to mind. She uses social media more than others.
We place ourselves as niche, tactile ‘lifestyle’ magazine aimed at young women aged 18-24 years old. The Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) charity have tried to help the public by releasing their report #StatusOfMind (RSPH, 2017). The charity concluded that 18-24 year olds are the main users on social media, hence making this group of people very susceptible to the mental health issues social media can incur. It’s aimed at those who use social media as alternative to working and in their spare time. It is also aimed at those who are influencers or use social media as their day job. Pause aims to gather its readership from 1824 year old Gen Z and 35-44 year old Millennials. These women will be supportive of each other and will be appreciative of calming colours and visuals. This publication will be something the audience have to search for: through Mind’s website, our Instagram/website and hospitals.
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Generation Z (Kasasa, 2019) 18 - 24 years old Heterophily / possibly Homophily
Brand identity.
Our vision. Pause’s vision is to help those in need without causing any disturbance or upset along the way. Our publication is there to allow people to escape away from their beloved phones for 10 minutes at least, so they can get that freedom. We are making our audience aware of this addiction by encouraging mindfulness. Everytime our audience see an Instagram post, we hope that will be a reminder for them if they haven’t got the publication to hand.
Our mission. We want to be the number one brand our audience come to when in need. We are the platform to make them aware and help them figure out their struggles and Mind charity are the platform to give them professional help. All of us at Pause are happy to constantly be around and develop our platforms in order to make our audience happy.
Our values. Our values strive to inspire users to destigmatize their issues in a safe environment with others that feel the same. Be a community. We produce content in collaboration with our audience which should make them feel at ease and represent our core values: escapism, uniqueness, family, kindness, tactile. Not to scare, but to make aware.
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Brand identity. Pause create publications bi-anually which discusses escapism tools and ways to be more mindful when it comes to social media. We want our audience to become aware of the dangers of social media addiction. Our Instagram platform alongside our publication is there as a quick reminder when scrolling. We are determined to reach our 18-24 year old audience in every way possible to offer awareness and a direction to Mind charity who can fully help them.
Pause’s Brand Identity Prism. Pe rso
Fe m nal it Picture of sender. D o H o n a l e y. wn es Up to t e t Re o d a a r t h l Int iab te s. m , ell le ue a p i s o ige C H q i c a g e s n s l o a m e l e y l l t t i h c ng t Ph a g i n g i s t i n c o ra b d e o R ns ur e, d mem g si n, Ge eal ciou n co s En minin bol, alo icatio r nu Bu ine fe sym ning ubl olou b S b p u n c d ly p an nt ru mote ing Re p o r t i e lat ve e v p ro / c a l m t t e . ab e o le it t astel pal p
Marketing Mix.
Culture.
- Social media addiction movement, escapism movement - tech savvy and innovative. - Distracted world.
So R w o c i a l m efle ct uld e s o c l i ke di a a ion. ial to d m e re d d i c t s di a u c e t h a u s a t he t ge ir .
s e. ag t o d a y , m d i l in or lf Se a r e l w d ,
aw ica use nd log oc de Tre c h n o m e r f r w i t a n d r t e u s t o l e f o i re c o l o u c itab - d g c uit su nces lmin to s c a rc h di e a u i re c t , , m e n c e . e i n d a l e t t u di e a p
Picture of receiver.
Product. An 18-24 year olds womens, physical only - Escapism/Self Aware Publication with journal attached inside - publication in support of Mind Charity. (Due to the size of the business, we only have limited copies of 200 initially. If the product is popular, we’ll think about selling more.) Promotion. Our brand is an omni-channel business. We will have many platforms to promote our business. We try our hardest to meet our customers requirements and want to be at the forefront of where they are. We will have use social media, have a website, merchandise, event, use bloggers and Instagram influencers and use the Guerilla Marketing technique. Price. £14.99 *Disclaimer: 20% of the funds will go to Mind Charity.* Initially, once the release has taken place, if you buy the publication and a t-shirt, you get a 10% discount. Place. Stockists/Distributors: - Sold on Pause publications website, Mind Charity’s website, at the doctors/hospitals.
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Externalisation.
- Trust worthy. - Authentic connection with users in the fashion world today - Influencers from Instagram. - New upcoming writers, illustrators and models from agencies that embrace different looks in a positive manner. - Honest and relatable.
Internalisation.
Relationship.
Content Strategy.
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Viewpoint £20 I-D, £7
Gentlewoman, £16.50
Infringe £15
Elle, £2-£5
Pigeons and Peacocks, £4.99
Focuses on the ‘entertainment’ value.
Ladybeard, £8.00
Nous, £8.00
Unique selling point. The way ‘Pause’ has been able to open its doors in this competitive industry is by being in support of ‘Mind’ charity. In addition, our concept is very relatable and on trend at the moment, due to the continuous development with social media. Influencers are starting to talk about this topic, which hasn’t really been done before, so it’s more of an issue being raised. ‘Mind’ charity are a charity that are yet to explore this topic, so we are opening up some doors for ‘Mind’, and allowing more consumers to use their platform when help is needed. We’ve tried enabling a tactile element to our publication, changing our paper types and paper weight by adding in extras to encourage engagement with the audience. We have done the research, and they are there for help and support to this issue. Having this charity behind us, means that we can have the potential to be highly recognised. This charity have a wide audience, but I’m reaching an audience that are highly affected by this issue, 18-24 year olds. They are the audience that are old enough to make the choice on whether or not they want to use such platforms, and have been introduced to platforms as part of growing up and in working environments.
Candy, £40
High price.
Focuses on the ‘wellness’ value.
Low price.
Tactility.
Beautypapers, £12
Photoshoots.
Nxs, £13.40
Collaborative articles.
Pause have a variety of content within to suit the audience and their needs. The start of the publication is all around the idea of escaping and the bad affects/relatable content. Then, there are photoshoots that are relatable to the audience and encourages to be confident. After that, there is a whole section on freedom. Freedom and activities/journal that people can do and connect with. My audience need calming and escapism methods in order to cope with this new norm.
Anxy, £19.00
Illustrations.
Brand Positioning Map.
SWOT Analysis of Pause and Mind .
Weaknesses.
- This collaboration is aimed at a young demographic - 18-24 year olds but does also briefly target 35-44 years old. - Taking users away from social media a bit at a time in order to help their mental health. It’s an awareness brand. - Caring for the public and helping them out. - Omni-channels in order to reach all audiences on every platform. It is specifically directed at the audience. - Unique. The concept and issue isn’t massively talked about, even though it’s a problem. - Mind Charity can help boost our audience as they’re a massively established brand. - Experienced founder in this addiction/issue - (I’m a social media addict so it’s aimed at me too.) - Social media is so relevant today and technologies are constantly developing, so this issue is likely be around for a long time.
- In future years, Instagram may not be the social media platform that causes a number of negative effects. My brand may be irrelevant so may not need to broaden my subject. - Target consumers may feel patronised/intimidated by the awareness so always needing to make sure we’re not saying ‘you need to’. - As it’s a start up business, we are yet to form a large consumer base. - Only available to purchase in limited places. - Only a limited amount of stock available - Small team behind the brand so it may be overstretched. We may struggle to keep up with the workload. - Due to the aesthetic and tactility of the publication, it costs a lot to print as there are 4 different paper types. The staff are in charge of organising the paper in order, which is a long task and will take some time on multiple copies.
Opportunities. - There are fewer competitors within this area of tactility and physical experience within this publication as well as - more room for my business! - Not many competitors have this omni-channel business. My direct competitors don’t have this. - Collaborating with an outside company (Mind Charity) means press/media coverage. - Potential to then expand the team once we’ve released our publication and built up our audience. - Having a social media presence allows us to reach a larger audience. - Postage costs are lower when sent in bulk. - Printing in bulk means lower prices.
Threats. - Emerging competitors that are similar to mine. - Negative press/media coverage. - Changing customer attitudes towards the company. They may not like the idea of it. - Fluctuating markets. - Goverment policies and laws might change. - Health and safety laws. - Changes in import and export laws might change which could affect pricing and supply sources. - Printing costs increase due to increase in their supplies of ink and paper. - Changes in sustainability laws with the amount of paper used. - Economic downturn - the consumers disposable income may decrease so they may not have the funds for a luxury like a magazine.
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Strengths.
Social Media Strategy.
Instagram. Due to them being on social media and Instagram (hence where I got my idea from), we will target them directly through that platform. However, our statement and proposal that we have made clear and evident on our Instagram is that: if our audience see a post, they should take that 10 minutes away. We are a reminder. Reminding people to take that time away. We will be uploading daily with reposts, and selected content from our Issue 1 publication, so our audience can buy our publication.
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Snapchat, Twitter & Facebook. Pause will advertise behind the scenes shots of photoshoots, events, sneak peaks of upcoming issues.
Merchandise. Pause wanted merchandise running alongside the publication, with 5 different designs. This allows the brand to be more than just a publication. It also helps us with our promotion, it’s a cheap skillful way of reaching our audience. This tactic is Guerilla Marketing.
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Merchandise development.
Shoot 1. “...all I want is to impress others and get more likes.”
Hair and make-up.
Creative direction.
(A FAKE REALITY - SELF ESTEEM.) From experience when scrolling through Instagram, I see influencers purposely setting up a photo with the ‘just got out of bed’ look but with the added of make-up and a nice looking freshly made bed. This isn’t real! Pulling the belt too tight to hunch in their waists or over drawing their lips - fake fake fake. The idea of this shoot is to show the extents people go in order to get likes. They will go against the norm and will go to an extreme just to be ‘slimmer’ and ‘more beautiful’. This could mean, getting lip fillers, a boob job, liposuction, bum lifts - looking plastic and like a Barbie. All of this unrealistic, but in a viewers eyes, being constantly shown it by multiple influencers makes it attractive for an innocent audience. Instagram shouldn’t be about impressing, it should be about showing ones true identity.
Styling.
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This shoot uses a variety of different poses. I felt that it worked better with close up shots as it shows detail of the body. As seen on the left, I collaged my interpretation of this feeling. Within, there are a lot of awkward poses, which makes the viewer feel uncomfortable. I have made sure this narrative differs from my other main photoshoots by having it as a ‘day in the life of a Saturday night’, by showing the process of getting ready when influenced heavily by social media.
Poses. Colour palette.
With my photography, the garments worn would represent my colour palette so my publication didn’t have to be full of backgrounds in my colour palette.
Photography - Ashley Christie. Stylist & Creative Director - Sian Barlow. Model Amy McCranor.
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Final images for Shoot 1.
Hair and make-up.
Shoot 2. “they never likes my photos.” Creative direction.
(BLOCKING PARTS OF YOUR BODY OUT - SELF ESTEEM.) If someone doesn’t like a photo of mine, I will immediately feel insecure, due to how our generation now is when it comes to Instagram. Likes mean a lot. If you don’t have many likes you are looked at as not very popular and it can affect self esteem.
Styling.
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This whole shoot that I took and styled myself, represents lack of confidence when posting, resulting in one blocking parts of their body/ life out on Instagram. As seen on the left, I collaged my interpretation of this feeling. The facial expressions and poses represent a serious but hidden look. This shoot has a narrative, from blocking things out to gaining confidence. It’s designed to encourage confidence. With this shoot, I tried using fashion items to block parts of my models body out so it related back to fashion. My outfit inspiration came from 2020 Spring Summer trends on WGSN.
Poses. Colour palette.
With my photography, the garments worn would represent my colour palette so my publication didn’t have to be full of backgrounds in my colour palette.
Photography, Stylist & Creative Director Sian Barlow. Model - Iona Greaves.
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Final images for Shoot 2.
Shoot 3. “I need to post so people don’t forget about me.”
Hair and make-up.
Creative direction.
(FEELING TRAPPED - SELF ESTEEM.) After looking at influencers, you can see that they post frequently so they’re kept in the public eye. If they don’t post, people would forgot about them as they are only ever seen on social media. If they’re pregnant, they’ll still post and pretend that the photo was taken on that day they posted. From primary research I conducted, my respondents have said that they feel validated when they post online. It makes them feel good. It’s a never ending cycle. Once you feel validated and post once, you’re stuck in that zone and can’t get out. You’re falling down and feeling trapped.
Styling.
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This whole shoot represents feeling trapped. As seen on the left, I collaged my interpretation of this feeling. It’s a hard emotion and feeling to get rid of. With this shoot, I used fashion garments /accessories to represent the feeling of feeling trapped. This feeling also comes across in the serious poses used, as well as the closed body language. This shoot shows a narrative, blocking parts of the body out because of feeling insecure to embracing oneself. It’s designed to encourage confidence. My outfit inspiration came from 2020 Spring Summer trends on WGSN.
Poses.
Colour palette.
With my photography, the garments worn would represent my colour palette so my publication didn’t have to be full of backgrounds in my colour palette.
Photography - Connor Walker. Model - Rhyanna Wood. Stylist & Creative Director - Sian Barlow.
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Final images for Shoot 2.
Interview and Shoot 1. “It’s Amelia and Ciara.” and “Meet Leonie.”
Hair and make-up.
Creative direction.
(EMBRACING INSECURITIES - SELF ESTEEM.) These are photoshoots to go alongside their interview talking about self-confidence and beauty. I wanted the shoot to be quite raw looking, showing them in a nut shell and representing ‘community’ and ‘togetherness’. On Instagram, this is rare. If people represent confidence, someone will have something to say about it. All of these girls have insecurities, from acne to vitiligo.
Styling.
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Both of these shoots are encouraging happiness and self worth, something Instagram doesn’t necessairly offer. The poses within represent togetherness but also represent confidence and closure. The audience and viewers looking at these images should feel inspired. The outfit inspiration came from 2020 Spring Summer trends on WGSN.
Poses.
Colour palette.
With my photography, the garments worn would represent my colour palette so my publication didn’t have to be full of backgrounds in my colour palette.
Photography, Creative Director & Stylist Sian Barlow. Models - Amelia Anastasia, Ciara Neale, Leonie Timothy.
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Final images for Interviews.
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Logo/ Front cover development.
LOGO. Forma DJR Banner
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
Branding aesthetic.
“Screen your screens.”
TITLE. Tiempos Headline Bold
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz BODY TEXT. Futura Medium
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Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
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Final Flatlays.
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3
being human. x
having freedom. open to new things. emotionally connected with others. adapt to change. not everyone has a happy day. your personality comes out in your style. touch. smell. see. taste. centre of our universe. being confident in your own skin.
introduction. ‘What makes being human?’ In this project, I have explored an aspect of this and have created a photoshoot - shot, creative directed and styled by myself. This project is in collaboration with Asos, with the same visions and morals.
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This is a project for Pavillion books around the idea of ‘being human’.
BE YOU. what does that mean? “to portray your genuine emotions.” “not caring about what others think of me as long as I am happy with myself.” “feeling confident enough around the people I’m with to act and speak without thinking.” “individual.” “to be natural and confident and to not put on a fake persona or conform to others.” “to be completely content and happy with the person you are. as hard as this can be, it’s a growth process. to be YOU is to be completely fulfilled within yourself.”
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“embrace insecurities.” “no retouching online.” “using colour to represent mood.”
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concept.
F-R-E-E-D-O-M
in collaboration with
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“ giving people the confidence
to be whoever they want to be. - asos’ purpose
WHAT’S THE RELEVANCE?
ASOS are a 19 year old unique, multi-platform experience that truly resonates with the people who use it, because it’s built by them. It’s a place to develop your own style and be inspired… and, of course, to shop. They have a strong sense of purpose – giving people the confidence to be whoever they want to be. ASOS are currently an online retailer - no brick and mortar shops. They are taking over the online market, selling their own branded clothing (ASOS DESIGN, EDITION, MADE IN KENYA, WHITE, SUPPLY, 4505, COLLUSION) and other retailers clothing. They can be found at asos.com. They’re so relevant in todays society because they encourage their 20 something audience to present their own style and be confident in the skin they are in.
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ASOS are relevant to this brief because ‘being human’ is about nonconfirmity and to be ‘you’. ASOS have a very similiar purpose and approach, encouraging their 20 something audience to be them - individual and implement their own style when buying clothes. This is why Asos have an array of brands so it meets everyones interests. I have used Asos clothing to represent the collaboration.
NO RETOUCHING.
brand research.
BOLD COLOUR.
.bold colours .graphic prints = embracing one to be who they want to be.
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‘Lazy Oaf create irrevant streetwear clothing for men and women, indpired by Youth Nostalgia, teenage rebellion and a spirit of non conformity.’
“
in a world of filters and retouching apps knowing what’s real and what isn’t can be almost impossible. when we retouch pictures, we try to stay true to the identity of the person we’re working with. we like to keep scars, moles, cellulites and all the small, but beautiful things that make us into the stunning, unique humans that we are. - Monki
concept. WHAT DO SEEDS NEED TO GROW?
WHAT DO HUMANS NEED TO GROW?
evolve. grow. turn into a beautiful t hing.
community. noncomformity. confidence.
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water. correct temperature. good soil location.
FREE ST YLE. trend research.
MENS AW 19/20: 01 Successful brands think outside the box: subversive and unexpected products and activations resonate with consumers searching for something more. 02 Appreciation for uniqueness drives statement dressing: hyper-informed consumers seek collections that afford them a chance to celebrate their own individuality.
WOMENS AW 19/20: 01 Glamour will be on the rise: a growing appetite for dressing up is noted. 02 Streetwear takes on a global aesthetic: unexpected pairings feel sophisticated. Be brave and become your own stylist, mixing and matching subcultures to make new styles. 03 Subvert the classics: disrupted. Opt for contrasting colour-pairings to elevate traditional checks.
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04 Menswear is the new womenswear: Free Style’s subversive nature is heavily influenced by rising menswear-focused cult youth brands. 05 Don’t forget the basics: a basic set of essentials is just as important. Look to colour-blocking in bold primary tones.
03 Irony is used to create ‘meme’ fashion: through meticulous incorporation of pop culture motifs, brands increase their chances of ‘going viral’ among youth consumers. 04 Streetwear grows up: streetwear becomes more sophisticated, further blurring the line between itself and traditional menswear.
justification. PART 1 community.
WHY HAVE YOU USED ‘ORDINARY’ PEOPLE? For this project, I have used ‘ordinary’ people, going against the norm, because I felt like anyone can be a model. You don’t need to be a model in order to be confident and represent freedom. This whole concept is about embracing beauty and saying that anyone and everyone is beautiful, not just models. In addition, Asos have started using ‘ordinary’ people with stretch marks and curvier models, so I want to stick to that and not take it away from the brand.
For this shoot, I have made sure both the models wear the same outfits to represent community. The outfits are casual, fitting in with the ‘basketball theme’ but also relating to the free style trend of womenswear being more masculine.
PART 2 noncomformity. For this shoot, I have used clothing in different ways to show that you can wear anything that you want and you’re still beautiful.
PART 3 confidence. For this shoot, I have made sure the male model is wearing womens clothing and the female model is wearing menswear. I’ve still made sure there is that connection there still by having them wearing the same trousers. As you can see with the final images, you can’t really tell a very manly man is wearing womens clothing.
COLOUR PALETTE.
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The colour palette for this project are the primary colours. I’ve also added in neutral colours to separate the boldness, so the main focus isn’t necessarily the colours but also the people and what they’re doing. It’s based around the trend - free style.
PART 1 community. community noun 1. the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common. "the sense of community that organized religion can provide"
location. .basketball court .community .team work .work together
creative direction.
Sian Barlow - Portfolio
friends and peers will stick by you and your uniqueness / ‘team work makes the dream work’
creative direction. no rules on how you wear your clothes / what you wear.
PART 2 noncomformity. nonconformity noun 1. failure or refusal to conform to a prevailing rule or practice. “youngsters are rejecting rebellion and nonconformity in favour of becoming ‘model citizens’”
.fields .by a tree .trees grow in a nonconforming way.
Sian Barlow - Portfolio
location.
PART 3 confidence. noun confidence 1. the feeling or belief that one can have faith in or rely on someone or something. “we had every confidence in the staff” synonyms: trust, belief, faith, credence, conviction;
creative direction.
Sian Barlow - Portfolio
wear what you want to wear = embrace it / wear womens clothes if you’re a male.
location. .fields .countryside .free space
being human. x
community.
Photograph, Styling, Creative direction by Sian Barlow. Clothing by Asos.
conf idence.
noncomformity.
With Asos have such a wide range of brands, this brand became relevant to my interpretation of ‘being human.’ Asos are all about being free and being a shopping platform relating any gender with any type of fashion sense. Overall, this worked well as it has meant that we have been able to represent the idea of being ‘free’, with our three human needs.
Sian Barlow - Portfolio
final images:
Sian Barlow - Portfolio
4 “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.”
Recently, self personalisation and bespoke styles have become very popular. According to Mr Louboutin (Agnew, 2019, “bespoke styles have always been something important to [me].” Last year in 2018, “bespoke styles rose by a fifth.” This is showing how on demand on trend this is.
- Coco Chanel.
Personalised on: • Water bottles • Wallets • Purses • Bags • Watches • Laptops
ari.
Ari is a personalisation service that offers customisable water bottles and vinyl stickers for laptops and phone cases. Ari has been created to fundraise for Graduate Fashion Week in June a collaboration between Elysha Westcott and I. This is a brand that runs for 1 week offering a personalisation service at university and via social media platforms. The water bottles will be the main personalised product available, due to the summer approaching it is a prime time to captivate the audience and their needs.
Sian Barlow x Elysha Westcott.
Brands that personalise: • HB London • Love Island • Abbott Lyon • Stripy Giraffe • Vanso Leather Collection • Etsy • Nomadcph • Azurina
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Introduction.
Competitor one. About. Love Island is a reality TV Show aired from June
- July since 2015. Contestants each have a personalised water bottle with their name printed. This became so popular that Love Island began to sell the water bottles to the public. Ever since, the water bottles have been high in demand so much that every series they go out of stock very quickly.
Price. ÂŁ15 each water bottle. (Plus ÂŁ3.40 postage and packaging).
Promotion. Love Island has a large social media following on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook these are ideal social media platforms to connect with the consumers to promote their products for sale as well as the TV show. Product. High quality straw water bottles with diffuser inside available in 3 different coloured fonts. Each year they are expanding their product range.
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Place. The water bottles are sold on the Love Island website and the Love Island App around the time of year that the TV Show is aired on TV, however they are not available alll year round for purchase.
Competitor two. About. Beautiful. Bespoke. Collectable. Customised.
A modern online brand specialising in high quality leather accessories that are timeless, unique and affordable. Azurina offer a variety of different products from handbags, to phone cases all of which can be personalised with icons and initials to adapt to the consumers taste. Personalisation is a huge aspect behind the brand. Your forever essentials. Basics, but beautifully branded. By you. For you.
Price. £10 - £100. The price ranges depending on
what the product is, the cheapest is £10 for a phone case ranging up to £100 for a bag. They also offer a 20% student discount rate.
Promotion. Azurina are frequent posters on their
social media platforms Instagram and Facebook, they post a lot of product content as well as reposting content from their consumers. The Instagram and Facebook posts direct consumers straight to the product available on the website, easy accessible and shoppable.
Product. Azurina offer a wide range of products on
their website such as; handbags, tote bags, phone cases, travel items, card holders and clutches.
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Place. Azurina’s products are available for sale on their website all year round.
Consumer profile. Generation Z/Millenials (Kasasa, 2019) 16 - 26 years old Homophily Acorn classification: Student life / Starting out (Acorn, 2019) Occupation: Higher education student / Part time worker / Full time job instead of higher education. Income: They will receive income from their jobs and if they’re in higher education it will be from student finance. They like things to be discounted or at a cheap rate considering that they are limited on money. Residential location: Suburban area (Acorn, 2019). Living status: Living with parents / Student housing / Living with partner paying rent. .
Sian Barlow - Portfolio
Diffusion of innovation model status: Early adopter / Early majority. Our consumer will follow the trends in order to fit in and be up to date. Due to this now becoming a trend, they will have jumped on it to make them individual.
Lifestyle: They lead a busy life, balancing either higher education/a job and their social life with friends and family - occasional nights out are their way of socialising as well as pub nights. The way they like to chill out is by taking time out at the gym or watching Netflix. They like a healthy lifestyle and aim to drink 2 litres of water a day. Technology: They are tech savvy and is sure to keep up to date with technology, due to being born into the digital native era. They are an Apple devotee and own an iPhone and/or a MacBook. The ease and design of the product is what draws them to it. They like no complication due to their attention span being quite low so having all Apple products is easy and convenient for them. They like the simple life. Social Media: Each of their social media platforms are used differently. Facebook is for personal uses only and uses it to scroll through videos; WhatsApp and Messenger are their preferred platforms to communicate and stay in touch; Instagram is their personal photo diary; Snapchat is spur of the moment posting of activities; Twitters for posting anything that comes to mind and when they need to contact brands. They are always on social media when they have some spare time. Retails: This consumer shops online, they find it convenient and it’s less hassle for them. Their preffered brands to shop at are: Topshop, Topman, Zara, H&M, Asos, Bershka and Pull & Bear. If they want to order gadgets, and household appliances they will shop at Amazon for convenience. They are likely to order online as it’s more convenient but if they do go out, they will do short but frequent shopping trips spending the minimum.
ari.
ari.
ari. ari.
ari.
ari.
We are called ‘ari’ because it’s simple and unique and represents our brands values. Our monochrome colour palette represents our gender neutral brand.
“Shake the bottle, wake the personality.”
ari.
ari.
Who? A gender neutral, high quality, customisable service for students. What? ari. a personalisation service that offers customisable water bottles and vinyl stickers for laptops and phone cases. Where? > University, (Arts University Bournemouth) Selling on campus and at Bournemouth University from 10am -3pm on Tuesday 21st May 2019. > Social Media - Running for 1 week, order through Instagram and Facebook via message to get a water bottle/sticker. When? May 17th - 24th 2019 - 1 week project.
Sharpe - Personal - Medium
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
Why? To raise money for our Graduate Fashion Week funds.
#myaritravels #myari
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Brand development.
Post-launch.
Pre-launch.
Business plan.
Day 1-3 Research and brand development. Day 4-5 Mini mock-ups, test printing - trialling fonts and colours. Day 6 Purchase vinyl colours and water bottles. Day 7 Create social media accounts for promotion purposes.
Day 8-10 Create initial water bottle examples of font and colour variations ready for promotion.
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Day 11-14 Distribute posters and prep for Tuesday 21st May launch at University.
PRODUCT
OUR PURCHASE PRICE
SOLD Price
PROFIT
Water bottle + Vinyl
£2 per bottle
£6 per bottle
£3.90 each
Vinyl
N/A
£2 each
£1.90 each
Paper bags (50x)
£7.74
15p per bag
N/A
Stickers (90x)
£5.06
5p per sticker
N/A
Employee funds
N/A
N/A
N/A
Friday 17th May The launch of social media to make the university students aware and so we can customers can start placing orders ready for Monday. Place posters around University + social media.
Monday 20th May Day before launch at University: Create vinyls of orders placed over the weekend. Ready for collection on Tuesday.
Wednesday 22nd May Proceed to complete orders for collection from the following day. Plus continue to promote for further orders through social media.
Friday 24th May Proceed to complete orders for collection from the following day. Plus continue to promote for further orders through social media.
18-19th May Prepping orders ready to vinyl cutting.
Tuesday 21st May LAUNCH DAY AT UNIVERSITY: Products for sale, in court yard. Get people to write down their name, mobile number and pay upfront so we can make ready to collect that day/Wednesday.
Thursday 23rd May Proceed to complete orders for collection from the following day. Plus continue to promote for further orders through social media.
Marketing Strategy.
Product.
Ari. is a personalisation service that offers customisable water bottles and vinyl stickers for laptops and phone cases. That is affordable for ari.’s target audience 16-26 year olds.
Our mission.
We as a brand aim to capture an audience who appreciate personalised items at a high quality yet affordable price range. We aim to encourage higher education students to stay healthy and hydrated throughout the summer months, with an added sense of fun and individuality.
Our personality.
Our personality is influenced by our audience who are fun and health conscious. We as a brand hope to create a fun personal experience which is reflected through the personality of the brand. Ari. is fun, out going, confident and quirky.
Essence.
Individuality, customisable, quirky, fun.
Values.
Quality, on-trend, personal, sense of community.
Differentiation.
A genderless personalisation service that is quirky yet affordable. Offering not only water bottles but the facility to produce individual stickers in the design that the audience have requested by the consumer.
Business Foundation.
Ari. has been created to fund-raise for Graduate Fashion Week funds for 2019 by Elysha Westcott and Sian Barlow. Allowing students to customise their personal items to their unique preference.
Customisable vinyl stickers sold individually or alternatively personalised water bottles with initials or names up to 12 characters. In the choice of two colours, black and white.
Price. The individual stickers will be sold as £2 per name/initials/words requested. The water bottles will be sold at £6 with the personalised vinyl stickers. Packaging will be available at no extra cost.
Place. The pop up shop will be placed at Arts University Bournemouth on Tuesday 21st May. Orders can also be placed through the social media platforms for pre-order.
Promotion. Ari. is promoted through Guerilla Marketing, dominantly on social media accounts such as Instagram and Facebook as these are the common platforms used by our consumer. Posters will be placed around Arts University Bournemouth and possibly Bournemouth University to create more awareness of the brand. Sian Barlow - Portfolio
Brand identity.
Sian Barlow - Portfolio
Social Media Strategy.
For a fundraising project, we have two different social media platforms that our audience can contact us on. This is because it’s easily accessible for our target audience as that’s where they are based. Online orders through Facebook and Instagram are easier for us to process and complete as we can give our audience a time limit on how long their products will take.
Final product shots.
Sian Barlow - Portfolio
These are our final product example shots that with custom stickers that Ari. offers. We have two fonts on offer which makes our products more unisex. Our main prominent products are stickers so it means that our customer can personalise all of their items.